Can.



No. 779,322. PATENTED JAN. 3, 1905.

- L. 0. SHARP. CAN.

ABPLIUATION FILED JULY 10,1903.

A TTORNE Y8.

Patented January 3, 1.905.

' LEE 0. SHARP, OF OMAHA, NEBRASKA.

CAN.

SPECIFICATION forming partof Letters Patent No. 779,322, dated January 3, 1905. Application filed July 10,1903. Serial No. 164,956.

To tZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LEE G. SHARP, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Omaha, in the county ofDouglas and State of Nebraska, have invented a new and Improved Can, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to what is commonly called a key-opener can.

The invention is especially adapted to that class of cans which are drawn or stamped up from two integral sections of sheet metal joined by a horizontal medial seam, although it may be used in other connections, as will be apparent.

The invention consists in the particular construction and arrangement of parts, as hereinafter described, and pointed out in the claim.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification,

in which similar characters of reference indi- -cate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the invention with parts broken away. Fig. 2 is a horizontal section on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a sectional view showing the first step of securing the wire in place, and Fig. 4 is a sectional view showing the wire secured.

a and 1) indicate, respectively, the upper and lower sections of a drawn can. sections are drawn or stamped up into proper form, but before they are joined to each other, as in Fig. 1, a suitable tool is applied to one of the sections, preferably the section a, and a continuous annular bead 0 (see Fig. 3) is formed on the section, said bead being outwardly extended and forming a continuous annular cavity on the inner side of the can. In said cavity is placed the prismatic (preferably square) wire (Z. Said wire has one end fastened securely within the bead 0 by means of solder or like means, as indicated at cl in Fig. 2, and the other end of the wire is projected through an opening 0 and extended to the outside of the can, so that a key or other suitable tool may be engaged therewith. After the wire has been placed in position the side walls of the sheet 0 are compressed until they are almost, if not actually, in contact with each other, causing the bead 0 to assume the form essentially of a tube, as indicated at 0 in Figs. 1 and 4.

After these It will be observed that the opening-wire cl has one of its corners seated in the annular crease or groove formed at the inner periphcry of the bead 0 and that by these means the wire cl is held and prevented from turning, thus preserving the outer or cutting corner of the wire in the proper relation to the pocket throughout the operation of opening the can.

To open the can, it is only necessary to engage a suitable tool with the projected end (Z of the wire (Z and draw said wire outward around the can, causing its sharp outer edge to cut through the side walls of the tube 0, and thus separating the upper part of the can from the bottom part.

Various changes in the form, proportions, and minor details of my invention maybe resorted to at will without departing from the spirit and scope thereof. Hence I consider myself entitled to all such variations as may lie within the intent of my claim.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent A can having on the outer side of its cylindrical body an annular pocket or tubular portion made circular in cross-section, and having its walls where they unite with the can-body brought close together forming a continuous groove or crease at such juncture, and an opening-wire held in said annular pocket and made angular in cross-section and having at its inner side an angle fitting in the annular crease or groove at the juncture between the pocket and can-body, and having at its side diametrically opposite such angle a cutting edge lying against the inner surface of the periphery of such pocket or tubular portion, all substantially as shown, whereby the fitting of the inner angle of the opening-wire in the crease at the juncture of pocket and can-body will prevent any turning of the opening-wire and will preserve the cutting edge of the opening-wire in the desired relation to the pocket throughout the operation of opening the can.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

LEE 0. SHARP.

WVitnesses:

P. M. CoNKLIN, N. S. REEvEs. 

